Author Archives: southdownswayandbeyond
Ash Tree Reflections
In an upside down worldI stare at my reflectionand tell youI know about disease.I know about shortage and want.I know what it is like to dread the chainsaw’s roarand wonder if it is coming for me.I know what it is … Continue reading
Queen of the Heath
She is no straight, tall elegant beautyNo.She writhes and rearsout of earth.A wild unbroken silver marebuckingin the evening sun. Dappled with moss and licheneight limbs ofhoarythick bark,rough to the touch,twisting, turningover each other. Sinking downthen raising upyoung smooth skinned limbstipped … Continue reading
Today I Am Angry
“How stricken would our luscious landscape be without the lovely Ash” Ali Walters March 2019 Today I am angryToday I can’t understand whyWe aren’t shouting from the roof tops,That with dieback and the borer beetleWE could lose nearly 1 billion … Continue reading
River Ouse Sensescape at Low Tide
The feel of the cool breeze on the palm of my outstretched hand The warm sun on my up turned face The roughness of dried seaweed between my fingers The sound of rippling wavelets as the wind pushes the river … Continue reading
Prayer for Peace
May fingers poised on triggers pause. May hands push back pins and safety catches. May eyes and ears focussing on targets turn instead, to the cries of hungry frightened children. In a heartbeat may all weapons be laid down and … Continue reading
30 Days Wild Day 6 Or Sometimes Nature Just Comes to You
While sitting at my computer this afternoon I noticed a movement out of the corner of my eye and there sitting behind my bird bath was a fledgling blackbird, which the male had just fed. It was a wild and … Continue reading
World Environment Day 2017
A brief ditty on why brambles matter for #30DaysWild (day 5) and World Environment Day. If all around is doom & gloom let a bramble blossom & bloom. A single skipper may then alight to ease the heart & bring … Continue reading
1 Day to 30 Days Wild
A glorious end to May started with a fabulous sunrise. Not being the earliest of risers sometimes it does pay to peek out of the curtains on waking at 4.30am even if your going back to sleep! Down on the beach … Continue reading
30 Days Wild
I’ve just signed up for 30 Days Wild 2017… Watch this space…
Day 26 – Wildlife Spotting on the Move
Birds spotted while driving on the motorways between Derbyshire and Brighton Ok I probably should have been concentrating 100% on the roads but I couldn’t help noticing: Numerous buzzards A sparrowhawk? Kestrels Crows Several jays Pigeons A heron A red … Continue reading
